Nurse-Family Partnership Honors Scotts Miracle-Gro CEO Jim Hagedorn

Hagedorn to be Recognized for Commitment to Healthy Communities

DENVER, May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) is honoring Jim Hagedorn, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, for his long-standing support and commitment to NFP during a special Mother's Day celebration today in New York City. The Mother's Day celebration at the home of longtime NFP supporter Christine Wasserstein recognizes Nurse-Family Partnership's efforts to empower and change the lives of first-time moms and their children living in poverty in New York City and 39 states across the U.S.

"Jim remains a tireless supporter and champion of Nurse-Family Partnership," said NFP President and CEO Thomas R. Jenkins, Jr. "His business leadership was invaluable at a time of tremendous growth for NFP.  We are forever grateful to Jim for his foresight and know-how to give more children a better start in life and build stronger communities throughout the country."

Hagedorn served on the NFP Board of Directors from 2004 to 2011.  He was instrumental in expanding the Nurse-Family Partnership® program, which provides home visits from registered nurses to first-time moms living in poverty.  Hagedorn has also been a generous financial contributor to the program, pledging $2 million to create and expand support of NFP across the U.S. 

"Through his gifts of time and financial support to NFP, Jim has demonstrated how deeply he believes in family strength as the bedrock of our society," said Robert Hill, NFP Board Chairman. "The Nurse-Family Partnership program has been demonstrated to help at-risk young parents become strong, capable parents and to change their families' life trajectories.  We can't thank him enough for his outstanding leadership."

Nurse-Family Partnership is a nurse-led, evidence-based community health program that pairs registered nurses with first-time, low-income mothers for home visits from pregnancy until the child turns two. The NFP program relies on locally-employed registered nurses (RNs), and participation is voluntary for the mother.

Other supporters attending the recognition event include Dr. Thomas Farley, Commissioner of New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and Linda Gibbs, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services for New York City. In addition, a recent NFP graduate Rashanda Moffitt will share her story of how the program transformed her life. Her NFP Nurse Home Visitor Denise Flynn will describe the impact of the program on the lives of young women living in poverty.  The Mother's Day celebration is being cohosted with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene – which operates sites in all five boroughs and is the largest urban NFP program in the country.

About Nurse-Family Partnership
The Nurse-Family Partnership National Service Office (www.nursefamilypartnership.org) is committed to producing enduring improvements in the health and well-being of low-income, first-time parents and their children by helping communities implement and sustain an evidence-based public health program of home visiting by registered nurses. Nurse-Family Partnership is the most rigorously tested maternal and early childhood health program of its kind. Randomized, controlled trials conducted over 30 years demonstrate multi-generational outcomes that benefit society economically and reduce long-term social service expenditures. Nurse-Family Partnership is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

SOURCE Nurse-Family Partnership